This invention relates to a graphic arts station, and specifically in one preferred embodiment, to an easel that can be adjusted with respect to height and tilt and can be modified with various modular component apparatuses to adapt to the needs and preferences of one or more persons using the easel.
Traditionally, graphic arts stations have typically been embodied by easels in one form or another. Easels can be flimsy and awkward structures. Often, they are little more than a tripod with some adjustability in features, for instance, the length of the legs of the tripod. Also, past easels, tripods especially, only allow a single person to work on a single piece of art. These easels only allow work on a single side of the easel. It is inconvenient or impossible, for instance, for a person to safely move a canvas to allow it to dry.
Prior art easels are also very limited with respect to the additional features that can be incorporated in or attached to the easel. Conventional features include a bottom ledge to rest, for instance, a paint canvas on. Also, the easels may have a top bar to, for instance, clip watercolor paper onto. An artist, however, may require some shelf space, or a bulletin board, or other structures to facilitate the process of painting or drawing.
Another potential drawback of prior easels is the complicated nature of the components. The way in which the various parts of the easels are assembled together and modified can be complicated. There is a need for simple, yet sturdy, assemblies to facilitate modification and use of easels.
Accordingly, it is an objection of the present invention to overcome the foregoing drawbacks and limitations that are present in the prior art easel apparatuses.
In one embodiment, the invention is an easel that can be customized by a user. The easel has plurality of vertical supports that are connected to each other wherein the vertical supports have side edges. A plurality of holes are spaced apart along the length of the vertical supports, and each hole has a horizontal bore with the bore open to an edge of each vertical support; and further wherein there are corresponding holes in the vertical supports that are parallel to each other. Horizontal support rods are adapted to slide in an out of the holes. There are also holding means for retaining in place an artistic substrate wherein the holding means is attached to at least one horizontal support rod. The vertical supports may be A-frame supports. Also, the vertical supports may be connected to each other by themselves being rigidly attached to a horizontal supply bin. An additional component that may be included in the easel is a swivel panel. The swivel panel has a flat surface and a plurality of holes, the holes being in the cross-sectional width and having bores that are open on at least one side of the swivel panel so that the holes are adapted to receive the horizontal support rods. In a still further embodiment, the easel may have a variable tilt platform. The platform includes the plurality of parallel members having a flat edge on one side and a tilt arm having at least one hole in it. A plurality of holes is spaced apart along the length of the flat edged sides of the members wherein each hole has a horizontal bore with the bore open to the flat edges and further wherein there are corresponding holes in the members that are parallel to each other. The holes in the flat edged sides and in the arm are adapted to receive the horizontal support rods.
Another feature of the invention is a quick disconnect hinge that is made up of a male component and a female component. The male component includes a rod and a shelf, the shelf having top and bottom surfaces and sides, wherein one end of the top surface of the shelf is fixed to a rod, the rod having a circular cross-section. At least a portion of side of the shelf adjacent to the end of the top surface fixed to the rod protrudes outwardly from the diameter of the circular cross-section. The female component is a channel adapted to receive the male component. The cross-section of the channel has two sectors, the first sector being a partially circular curve that has a length less than half of the diameter of the entire circle defined by the partially circular curve. The second sector has a concave shape that connects the bottom end of the first sector to the side of the female component. The diameter of the circle defined by the curve of the first sector is at least the diameter of the rod portion of the male component.
In still a further embodiment of the present invention, a wall-mounted easel includes a plurality of vertical supports adapted to be mounted onto a wall wherein the vertical supports have side edges. Holes are spaced along the length of the vertical supports wherein each hole has a horizontal bore open to the side edge of each vertical support and further wherein there are corresponding holes in the vertical supports that are parallel to each other. The horizontal support rods are adapted to slide in and out of the holes. Holding means for retaining in place an artistic substrate are attached to at least one horizontal support rod.
In a further aspect the invention includes a quick disconnect hinge assembly that is used as part of the easel apparatus or separately in any shelf system.
Another embodiment of the invention is an adjustable platform for graphic arts comprising a frame and a ledge for supporting a canvas. A beam is connected on one end to the ledge. A spring is connected on one end to the beam and on the other end to the frame. A guide tube is fixed to the frame and adapted to enclose at least a portion of the beam, wherein the spring is biased to pull the beam and ledge to a retracted position with the ledge abutting the frame. The guide tube may substantially enclose the beam and the spring when the ledge is in the retracted position. Further, the platform may comprise a plurality of beams, and a corresponding plurality of springs and guide tubes wherein each beam is connected on one end to the ledge. The guide tube may comprise a locking device to releasably secure the beam with respect to the tube. The frame may further comprise an elongate, slotted member with the slots oriented substantially parallel to the beam. The platform further would include a tab adapted to be slidable along the slotted member and wherein the tab comprises a locking device to releasably secure the tab anywhere along the length of the slotted member. Still further, the ledge may comprise a groove and a plastic slat that is slidable in the groove along the length of the ledge. This adjustable platform may be used in connection with the easel described earlier herein.